Back To Basics: Pet Cat Draft Edition

Today in another episode of Back To Basics, we will take a look at a few of Chia's pet cats for the upcoming NFL Draft in April. I will start doing a few mocks, but I want to wait another 2 weeks so we have a better look at all of the players that are coming out of school. The Back To Basics series featured talk on the OL, DL, and Secondary, so I will give a pet cat from each category. Picking 9th overall has its perks and its not often the Cowboys get a top 10 pick so we better make the most of it. I have given the idea of trading down more thought. It would allow us more room in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, where alot of quality players could fall to us. I know Gabe Carimi and Derrek Sherrod are not top 10 picks at the moment, but I have never seen a draft where a quality OL doesn't fly up the draft boards. I think Sherrod or Carimi will be in the discussion for top 15 picks, maybe higher. I also encourage you write down your pet cats in the comment section, curious to see what pet cats people have in mind.

Let's start with the OL where we need to seriously improve if we want to succeed in 2011. Our OL has Doug Free and Andre Gurode definitely returning. Marc Columbo and Leonard Davis, IMO should be released because the right side of the OL was the problem, and has been for a while now. A guy I would like to retain is Kyle Kosier, Kosier is a free agent. I feel Kosier has always been a underrated player in the NFL, especially not valued enough by the Cowboys fan base. Kosier is getting old he is 32 years old, and will be 33 in November of next year. But Kosier was steady and solid this year. If we can resign Kosier for a 1 or 2 year deal, I think we should go that route. We can start Doug Free, Kyle Kosier, and Andre Gurode.

The right side of the OL has to be fixed. So lets start with a player that currently plays tackle for TCU, Marcus Cannon. Cannon is 6'5 350 and has the similar build of Leonard Davis who is 6'6 355. Both played tackle to start their careers, and when we brought Davis over we moved him to RG, where he was a Pro Bowl caliber OL. Davis has fallen off BAD in the last 2 years. Where we once had a big mean OL, we are now left with a big "soft" RG who is used to pull block (I still don't understand why), and constantly whiffs on his assignment. Davis is also straight out abused in stunts and pass rushers. I think Marcus Cannon is the Cowboys prototypical RG, even though it may be time to start changing our grading system and fundamental scouting idea's on the OL, but Cannon is going to be a great player IMO. Now Marcus Cannon didn't exactly set the world on fire in his bowl game, but one mediocre game shouldn't give you the wrong impression about him. Marcus Cannon is a big mean OL, that can pancake people but have enough footwork to get out and pull. Pulling isn't exactly Cannon's best method of operation, I would say straight ahead push blocking is his forte. Some say Cannon can be a solid NFL RT, but for this offense I would prefer him as our RG, where he can use his size and brute strength to succeed. Putting him at RT would mean a 6'5 350 OL would have to set the edge and maintain blocks on pass rushers, something I think Cannon can do, I just think at RG for us is the perfect fit. We like the big cattle at RG, as with Leonard Davis. I feel Marcus Cannon could be a amazing RG for the Dallas Cowboys, and as of right now Cannon is a 2nd round pick and that fits into our draft status. Marcus Cannon would be a perfect fit for us in the 2nd rd, and IMO could come in and start right away. One part of fixing the OL is we need guys that can become basically instant starters, and that's not unrealistic. I just think the time of drafting developmental players should end, unless the upside is immensely great. So Marcus Cannon from TCU is one of Chia's 2011 NFL Draft Pet Cats.

Let's move on to the DL, where I have dedicated alot of words and time on. The DL is a big question mark heading into the 2011 season. We have 3 DE's that are upcoming free agents, Marcus Spears, Stephen Bowen, and Jason Hatcher. Igor Olshansky is scheduled to make around 5 million dollars in 2011. Me personally I really don't feel Igor is worth 5 million dollars, because if he is worth 5 million dollars, how much is Spears worth? I would like to retain Stephen Bowen, Bowen is still developing into a nice 3-4 DE. Bowen can stuff the run and get to the passer. Now Spears is a quality DE that I would like to keep, just for the right price. Spears is a great locker room guy and a warrior for us on game days. I just hope there is no hard feelings, but there might be and Spears has plenty of reasons to leave Dallas, and money could be one of them. A 3-4 team might be willing to pay more for Marcus Spears and outbid us, if we even bid at all. Jason Hatcher I would not retain, he has his moments where you really think he is going to breakout, but then disappears again. Maybe if the price is right, we can keep Hatcher. Now Igor has to go IMO, he is just not worth the money. He is a big strong guy, but really lacks the ideal intelligence IMO. Too often did I see him either quit on the play, or just do something stupid and not maintain his gap. I say we should move on and thank Igor for his wonderful play in 2009, but 2010's performance is enough for me to move on.

My DL pet cat is Muhammad Wilkerson from Temple. Wilkerson is 6'5 305 and really reminds of the Chris Canty type of build. He had 70 tackles, 9 1/2 sacks, and 13 tackles for losses. Wilkerson is a disruptive DE, that can stop the run and get to the passer. With his size, strength, great speed and quickness, he is going to be a disruptive player in the NFL. He reminds me alot of Chris Canty, being the size. Alot of guys with Canty's size and I just remember Chris Canty. Guy's with this size and speed can become what Canty was not, consistent and a starting DE. Now Wilkerson dominated the MAC conference, and that might shy off alot of people because of Temple being a smaller school, but this guy has serious talent. I think if he was playing for a big time school he might be a 1st round pick. Some team is going to fall in love with him at the Combine, where Wilkerson will show off his speed and strength. Alot of the drafting services I have taken a look at say he is a 2nd to 3rd round pick, I would love for him to tall to us in the 3rd round. There are going to be alot of big name prospects in the 2nd, so there is a good chance he falls to us in the 3rd, but Linval Joseph who was selected by the Giants last year had a similar draft scenario. Like Wilkerson, Joseph played at a smaller school in ECU and dominated the competition. But when he worked out for teams, scouts fell in love with his size and strength. Wilkerson is going to beast of a player, his size, strength, and amazing speed for a big guy are the things scouts look for. I seriously believe if we draft Wilkerson, he is your starting DE regardless of the school he played for. Wilkerson is that good of a player to adjust to the NFL talent level. This guy is going to be good on the run, rush the passer, and wreak havoc in the backfield, he is a disruptive player. Temple also has a S Jaiquawn Jarrett that I love, Temple is starting to pump out some serious NJ talent.

My pet cat for the secondary has to be Ahmad Black from Florida. Black plays SS for the Gators, and is a little undersized and I know that might scare people off but he plays big. At 5'10 190 pounds he plays like a warrior out there. I have had the chance to see Florida play quite a bit and he can play football. He likes to use his body and isn't afraid to dish out the big hit, while staying fairly healthy. He was a highly productive football player for Florida his career, and this year he had 109 tackles, 10 for a loss, forced 3 fumbles, recovered 2 fumbles, and had 5 interceptions. When I watch this kid play, he is all over the field and is a play maker. We are dying for play makers in the secondary, especially at FS and SS. People might say "Oh he is small, just like Alan Ball" but I would make this statement, "Was Alan Ball's real problem for us his size? Or his lack of play making ability?" Alan Ball's size was never a major factor in his mediocre play, it was his play making ability. Black is a play maker and he will find great success in the NFL. Bill Belicheck is drafting alot of Florida players and knows when he gets a Urban Meyer coached kid, he is getting a NFL ready talent. Brandon Spikes was too slow, or Jermaine Cunningham was too small, or Aaron Hernandez wasn't a complete TE, all question marks on his Florida selections, and all are going to be key players for the Patriots. Ahmad Black possesses everything I want my Safety to possess, smart fast strong and has ball skills but can lay the wood. I think Black will indeed be a player they invite into Valley Ranch for their annual player evaluations. The only problem is Black is a 2nd to 3rd round pick, and IMO with a weak safety class could propel himself into round 2 discussion. This year I would love to get 2 2nd round picks, but at what cost would it actually cost us? That is why I am more and more open to trading down in the 1st, and then landing a quality player while acquring a extra 2nd or 3rd pick, allowing us to trade back into the 2nd round. Ahmad Black is a player I love for us, I think he fits what we have been lacking. He makes alot of plays, evident by his amazing tackle number for the season, is a ballhawk, and a leader. I think Black can come in and start for us right away, if Alan Ball can start, then a star player from Florida can too. One other safety I like is Quinton Carter from OU. I really like what Carter brings to the table, also Duenta Williams even though he broke his fibula. I wanted to make Ahmad Black the focal point of the article because we need to start drafting Florida and SEC players, IMO most of the best athletes come from that conference.

So that wraps up Back To Basics Pet Cats Edition 1, there will be sequels and a mock draft in a few weeks. Please feel free to drop your pet cat down in the comment section, I am looking forward to seeing what some of your guys pet cats are. Thanks for reading, peace.